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Updated: Oct 5, 2025
07:38
A General Method for Detecting Nitrosamide Formation in the In Vitro Metabolism of Nitrosamines by Cytochrome P450s
Published on: September 25, 2017
10.2K
Mass spectrometry based fragmentation patterns of nitrosamine compounds
Shardrack O Asare1, Jessica N Hoskins1, Richard A Blessing1
1Analytical Research and Development, AbbVie, 1 N. Waukegan Rd., North Chicago, IL, USA.
Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry : RCM
|January 28, 2022
Summary
Understanding nitrosamine fragmentation patterns is key for developing analytical methods to detect these mutagenic compounds in pharmaceuticals. This study details three novel fragmentation pathways observed using tandem mass spectrometry.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Mass Spectrometry
- Organic Chemistry
Background:
- Nitrosamines are mutagenic and carcinogenic substances.
- Novel pharmaceutical compounds may form unique nitrosamines.
- Characterizing nitrosamines is essential for drug safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the gas-phase fragmentation behavior of model nitrosamine compounds.
- To identify characteristic fragmentation patterns for nitrosamine identification.
- To support the development of analytical methods for novel nitrosamines.
Main Methods:
- Studied eight model nitrosamine compounds.
- Utilized positive electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS).
- Analyzed fragmentation patterns under varying collision parameters.
Main Results:
- Protonated nitrosamines yielded diagnostic fragment ions.
- Observed three primary structure-dependent fragmentation pathways.
- Identified novel pathways involving loss of H2O and NH2NO (46 Da).
Conclusions:
- The study provides an overview of nitrosamine gas-phase fragmentation.
- Fragmentation patterns can aid in identifying novel nitrosamines in complex matrices.
- Findings are valuable for analytical method development in pharmaceutical analysis.
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